General News

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27666, 24 May 1955, Page 12

General News

The .£75 Toothache A Dunedin dentist had a patient recently who looked rather more bronzed than the average Dimedin citizen. In conversation the dentist discovered that the man in the chair was from the West Coast Sounds. He was a crayfisher and when he was unable to stop his toothache he sent a radio message for an amphibian, which took him to Bluff. The Invercargill dentists did not like the look of the tooth and advised him to go to Dunedin. So he flew to Dunedin and had the trouble remedied. The dentist calculated the cost of the trip and found to his surprise that it added up to no less than £75. Pocketing his share, a mere 12s 6d, the dentist remarked that it was a rather costly extraction. “Oh, that’s all right,” said the crayfisher with a big grin. “I’ll make that tomorrow. Cheerio.” Excavation Near Dominion Museum The Dominion Museum and National Art Gallery stood in danger of collapse, said the Mayor of Wellington (Mr R. L. Macalister), who is also deputy-chairman of the gallery’s board of trustees, when pointing last night to the danger in which the building had been placed by excavation for the nearby Technical College’s new sport? ground. The excavation had resulted in the cutting of a bank 30ft to 40ft high close to the western side of the museum, he said. The board had communicated its forebodings to the Wellington Technical College Board and the Ministry of Works.—(P.A.) Frost at Midnight At midnight the temperature on the grass at Wigram was 28.2 degrees, representing a 3.8 degree frost. The air temperature was 32.3. Trotting Course Booths All booths at the Addington course will be open next Saturday, when the Canterbury Park Trotting Club will hold its meeting. Approval for six booths, including two on th§ outer enclosure, has been given by the chairman of the Licensing Committee. On the outer enclosure one booth is under the old Leger stand and the other, a temporary structure, behind the burntout stand. Plans are being prepared for the construction of another stand m which booths will be included among the amenities. “National Disaster” The decline of language studies in New Zealand was yesterday described by Sir John Tresidder Sheppard, provost of King’s College, Cambridge, as a national disaster. Sir John Sheppard, who will receive an honorary degree in literature from the University of New Zealand next week, said his views on the importance of languages were personal ones. During his fortnight’s visit he did not want to play the part of the visitor telling New Zealanders how to run their country. “I myself feel that in the interest of all the professions, including science, the decline of all language study is a national disaster,” he said. “Unless a man who specialises in some technical subject has a good, general, humane education he will never be a leader in his profession.” In Britain a post-war decline in the study of classical languages had been reversed, he said. Grammar schools laid more emphasis on classics and were sending some splendid classical students to the universities.— (P.A.) Army Officers’ Conference A conference of officers of the New 'Zealand Army’s Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from all over the country will be held at Waioui u on May 28 and 29. Both Regular Army and territorial officers will attend. One of the main objects of the conference will be to acquaint the officers with the operation of the new F.N. .30 rifle, and the B.A.T. anti-tank weapon.— (F.0.0.R.) Salvation Army Appeal Salvation Army workers collected £ 1030 in a street appeal held in Christchurch last week. Candidates’ Birthdays

When the Auckland Electric Power Board held its election on Saturday, three candidates hoped to receive success as their birthday presents from electors. As returns came in, twelfth place alternated between the Citizens’ and Ratepayers’ candidate (Mrs J. L. Powell) and the Labour nominee (Sir William Jordan). When Sir William Jordan’s success seemed assured. Mrs Powell told him that it was her birthday, and she had hoped to get a present of a seat oncthe board. “Well, I too hoped I would win, for it was my birthday the day before yesterday.’ said Sir William Jordan. Mr A. E. Allen, another candidate, overheard the conversation at that stage and added, “I have had the best birthday present of all. It was my birthday yesterday, and I have topped the poll.” 300,000 Stamps in 63 Years

By correspondence with fellow enthusiasts in all pans of the world, 75-year-old Captain Herbert Duke, of Whangaparoa, has collected more than 300,000 postage stamps. He is a retired sea captain, and’ since he was invalided after a serious operation in 1938, he has devoted all his spare time to his hobby. Captain Duke’s collection, which is described as one of the largest in New Zealand, has never been officially valued, but some individual stamps alone are valued in catalogues at over £2OO. He started collecting in 1892 at the age of 12, when he served as cabin boy on intercolonial ships. University May Be Renamed The professorial board of Victoria University College has recommended to the college council that the college be renamed the University of Wellington. The board approves also, in principle, the conception of a federation of New Zealand universities as has been expounded by the ViceChancellor (Dr. G. A. Currie). The council had referred Dr. Currie’s report to the board, and the board’s recommendations came before a meeting of he council last night—(P.A.) Pasteurised Milk Notices One hundred printed notices for display in milk bars and shops where no raw milk is sold are soon to be distributed by the Christchurch Metropolitan Milk Board. The notices, printed in bright colours, read: “The management notifies patrons that pasteurised milk only is used in all milk shakes.” The board decided recently that these notices should be offered to all retailers of pasteurised milk shakes, in accordance with its policy of encouraging the consumption of pasteurised milk. There is no obligation on these retailers to display the notices. New Zealander’s Story on 8.8. C. An account of an old folks’ Christmas party written by Mr A. A. Rudge, a 71-year-old Papatoetoe resident, has been featured on the 8.8. C. programme “Commonwealth Club.” Mr Rudge. who is an old correspondent of the 8.8. C., last week received a letter enclosing a typed extract from the programme, showing how his acccount was used.